[PRCo] Re: [PRCo]

[Harold Geissenheimer]

Greetings

Herb brings up an interesting point.  PRC operators could easily
change cars..they did so for cars on time, etc

They kept their stuff in a metal box, easy to move.  Lock type fare
boxes had no register.  Write down the overhead register # and move out.

Registering boxes that returned the money to the operator made it
harder to change cars.  PRC liked the lock box

Harmony Short line and Community Transit had registering boxes
and returned the money.  Harmony used a separate envelope for
each trip.  Tickets, cash and registrations each time.

Harold Geissenheimer

hrbran99 at adelphia.net wrote:

>How long was motorman training?
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>During my time at PATransit it was two weeks. PAT never hired streetcar operators "off the street." It was correctly assumed that everyone transferring to SHJct during a System Pick already had the six weeks bus operator training. Thus, the "basic training" items were already known and training could concentrate on car operation, signal operation and route training.
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>What percentage failed the training?
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>I knew of no individual who failed training. Those who could be failures probably did not even think about picking into SHJct. In the bus garages it was common "gossip" about how "hard to operate" the streetcars were.
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>Was there special training for certain routes?
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>During the mid and late 1970s there was not much need for special training. Still it was a very diverse and very interesting system during the last years before "super trolley" with its high level loading and eyesore overhead construction. The only sections involving extra instruction were Arlington Avenue (the steep hill and single track) ,Overbrook with single track and a car every one or two minutes during peak periods, and Drake with single track and a loop limited to five cars.
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>How many motormen were fired due to a lack of ability?
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>I no of no operators fired for a lack of ability. Perhaps some for illegal things (theft, etc) but not lack of ability. Now, in the 21st Century, I see operators fired constantly for lack of ability. They are always young and just do not have the work ethic of older adults.
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>I had mentioned earlier about the Drake Loop limited to five cars. When one was operating OUTbound on Drake and entered the single track at Washington Jct one had to watch INbound cars (when being passed in a siding) and look at the operators hands. They would hold up their fingers to show you how many cars were between them and you. Thus, if an operator held up two hands and showed eight fingers there were eight cars between them and you. You made nine on the line. If you did not have at least three inbound cars pass you in sidings then there was a chance that there would be a "lock-in" at Drake Loop This happened when five cars occupied the loop and a sixth car entered the single track to the loop. The overhang on the sixth car would prevent cars already in the loop from leaving. This did happen several times and required a lot of effort to clear the loop and resume service. One time I remember the sixth car entered the single track and several more received "good" signals!
> to enter the loop and we ended up taking over two hours to get the loop cleared. I always though it was a fun time but most of the other operators were not happy.
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>Another thing was Clearview Loop. PM straight runs (working roughly the 3pm to 11pm or 4pm to 12midnight time frames) would have layover at Clearview at the close of the PM rush period. Of course, many cars were coming into the loop and returning to SHJct without a layover. Also cars were coming up the 38A track returning from Castle Shannon via Mt Lebanon trips. There were two ways to get the SHJct bound cars past you and back to the car house. One could simply change cars (they would take your car back to the car house and you would take over their car and hold until your leaving time --- this was OK by me if I ended up with a 1700 series car --- I did not care for the 1600 series that much) or you could back into the 38A track when a 42/38 came into the loop and let them by. However, if a 38A car came up the track from Castle Shannon then you had to back into Clearview Loop again. This required a lot of switch throwing, switch pluging, and trolley pole moving. But I have !
>seen it done. 
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>Enough for now.
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>HrB  
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